Breathe You, Taste You
by thisendsintragedy
Summary: A dark twist of events taken place around/after the kiss of S2's episode, "I Only Have Eyes For You". Buffy is caught in Angelus's dangerous web of lust and passion. Every new experience with him pulls her further away from Giles and her friends. But Xander has other idea, as do Oz, Willow, and Giles. (Contains BDSM and other dark sexual themes-might have triggers)
1. Chapter 1

**SALIVA - "ALWAYS"**

 _I hear a voice say "Don't be so blind"_  
 _It's telling me all these things_  
 _That you would probably hide_  
 _Am I your one and only desire_  
 _Am I the reason you breathe_  
 _Or am I the reason you cry_

 _Always, always, always, always, always, always_  
 _I just can't live without you_  
 _I love you, I hate you, I can't get around you_  
 _I breathe you, I taste you, I can't live without you_  
 _I just can't take anymore_  
 _This life of solitude_  
 _I guess that I'm out the door_  
 _And now I'm done with you_

 _I feel, like you don't want me around,_  
 _I guess I'll pack all my things,_  
 _I guess I'll see you around,_  
 _It's all been bottled up until now_  
 _As I walk out your door,_  
 _All I can hear is the sound_

 _Always, always, always, always, always, always,_  
 _I just can't live without you_  
 _I love you, I hate you, I can't get around you_  
 _I breathe you, I taste you, I can't live without you_  
 _I just can't take anymore_  
 _This life of solitude_  
 _I guess that I'm out the door_  
 _And now I'm done with you_

 _I love you, I hate you, I can't live without you_

 _I left my head around your heart_  
 _Why would you tear my world apart_

 _Always, always, always, always_

 _I see, the blood all over your hands_  
 _Does it make you feel, more like a man_  
 _Was it all, just a part of your plan_  
 _This pistol's shakin' in my hands_  
 _And all I hear is the sound_

 _I love you, I hate you, I can't get around you_  
 _I breathe you, I taste you, I can't live without you_  
 _I just can't take anymore_  
 _This life of solitude_  
 _I guess that I'm out the door_  
 _And now I'm done with you_

 _I love you, I hate you, I can't live without you_

 _I love you, I hate you, I can't live without you_  
 _I just can't take anymore_  
 _This life of solitude_  
 _I pick myself off the floor_  
 _And now I'm done with you_  
 _Always, always, always_

* * *

He had her.

There she was, Little Buffy Summers, alone, angry, and finally revealing her true feelings for him. The most powerful Slayer, he smirked as he flicked his gaze over the soft curves of her slim figure, and here she is, heartsick and yearning for little ol' me. The Scourge of Fucking Europe. Fuck, what did I ever do to get so lucky?

"You're the only one," she'd whispered before turning those doe-green eyes at him. "You're the only one I can talk to."

He twisted his face in a touched expression as he closed the space between them. "Gosh, Buff. That's really… pathetic," he said, adding a taunting snicker in hopes of baiting her on. He loved when she got angry - it brought out such fire in her. Angelus loved playing with it, watching the flames grow, wanting to feel just how hot that passion could really burn.

But he also wanted to be the one to snuff it out, break her. Finally bring the mighty Buffy Summers down on her knees with her pretty lips choking on his cock. He wanted to kill Buffy yes, no doubt about that, but where was the fun in that without a little torture first?

And the way Buffy stared at him told him she was ready for more torture. Hell, hungry for it, more like. He saw it in the way she longed for him, pleading with those big eyes to become the man she ached for him to be. Ain't gonna happen, Buff. The sooner you realize that, the easier this all could be.

"You can't make me disappear just because you say it's over," Buffy declared, hands tightening in trembling fists at her sides. Angelus smiled victoriously at her outward signs of torment. With another step, he bent over her so she could see the truth in his eyes before he spoke.

"Actually, I can," he said, his voice heavy with that very promise. "In fact, I-"

He wanted to say, "I thought I made everything clear," but instead, something came over him - another presence invading his mind and forcing words he'd never, ever say to her out of his mouth.

Angelus was horrified that he was telling her all the things his very counterpart had said. I just want you to have some kind of normal life. But the passion in Buffy's voice as she exclaimed she didn't give a damn about a normal life… He knew in the marrow of his bones it was true. Knew it even before he was finally able to take the reigns from that poof, Angel. For the last two years, Angelus had no choice but to watch The Slayer through Angel's eyes, and each time he couldn't help realize he saw her in a much different light than the one who actually spent time with her did. What he could never see was that Buffy already had her normal life - she'd accepted her place, secretly relished in her power, and she still exerted control over her own life by falling in love with the one vampire she knew she should've killed. Buffy was as content as any foolish girl her age could be, but despite Angelus mocking her choices, he couldn't help but admire her for fighting to have what she wanted.

Even now as this foreign force inside of him pleading with her that it was for the best, she remained stubborn in her defiance. She grabbed him, her impressive Slayer strength spinning him around until he crashed in the opposite wall. You don't care about me, anymore?! She screamed. Is that it?

Of course I don't care about you, Angelus wanted to say. I don't give a FUCK about you, Buff! Jesus, when are you going to get that?

Instead, he uttered it didn't matter how he felt, which he guessed in a way, were true. It didn't matter to Buffy how she felt. The selfish little bitch only cared about herself.

She screamed he tell her he didn't love her. The force asked if it would help, and he wanted to throw back his head and laugh in amusement at its pathetic attempt to lie. But the silent laughter died inside of him the moment he heard the tell-tale click of a pistol.

Oh shit.

Wow, this girl has really gone crazy.

A person don't just wake up and stop loving somebody! Shit, he thought as he stared down her barrel. She sounds like one of those chicks he's seen on that women channel. Lifeline, or whatever it's called. Love is forever, she continued, and he and the force gulped simultaneously as she raised the weapon at him.

Though the demon inside of him knew that gun wouldn't do anything more than weaken him - and piss him off - the force inside of him trembled in fear at the knowledge that it was about to die. Angelus wanted to laugh, but the next he knew, the gun went off and he was tumbling backwards off the balcony, falling down with a crushing force on the courtyard bricks below.

Angelus blacked out for a moment before his consciousness slowly returned. He knew that the force was still inside of him from past experience with Angel, and the vampire was beyond irritated that he had to deal with this shit with yet another whiny little bitch. When the fuck was he gonna get a break? He wondered as the force also awakened and urged him back in the school. Damn it, he inwardly growled. What the fuck is everyone's fascination with Buffy? Even after she shoots them, they still want to be around her like she's Lady fucking Madonna herself. What the hell does she have? A golden pussy?

The night of Buffy's deflowering, Angelus slammed the door down between the shared consciousness of him and Angel. He did not want to see that shit. He didn't mind the fits of lust Angel and Buffy broke out in, but that love… the tenderness. It made him sick. So damn ill that he missed out on how his dick felt in Buffy's untouched pussy. How Buffy felt when she was truly in the throes of lust, passion.

But was she?

His thoughts came to a crashing halt as his lips were suddenly on hers again. He had no idea why the force inside of him was making him kiss her, but Angelus wasn't about to question it. Truthfully, he liked the way Buffy's lips felt against his. Reveled in how she'd grab the back of his neck, crushing her pert breasts against his broad chest as she stroked her tongue into his mouth. And Little Buff didn't disappoint.

She threw herself at him with abandon. Buffy knew this whole time what was happening but like Angelus, was powerless to stop it. Deep down, she knew she didn't want to stop it. This was as close to Angel as she was ever going to get. Though she hated the monster he turned into, she couldn't deny that she loved his body and the things it knew how to do. He wasn't Angel, she knew that, and somewhere deep down, she also knew that she didn't really care.

Truthfully, she wanted to experience more of Angelus.

And so she kissed him, even after she felt the spirit of James Stanley leaving her body, she kept on kissing Angelus like there was no tomorrow. He attacked her back with the same ferocity, lifting her up by the waist and carrying her over to the teacher's desk. Buffy shivered in delight as the cool wood brushed against the exposed skin of her lower back.

"Do you know who I am, Buff?" Angelus whispered as he flicked his tongue along her jaw.

Buffy nodded as she arched further into his touch. "Yes, Angelus. I know it's you."

"Yet you still kiss me? Tsk, tsk, lover," he taunted as he bit the shell of her ear, smirking at her gasp. "Now what would your Watcher and friends think?"  
"I don't give a shit about them right now," Buffy answered hoarsely, head too clouded with desire to think about anyone else. All she cared about was this one moment - this one little moment where she finally felt like herself again.

She felt alive.

Angelus could sense her need and it caused his own to surface. Without digging deeper into it, he grabbed Buffy's chin and jerked her mouth to his. As he invaded her mouth with his tongue, he ripped at her clothing, stripping her bare until she was spread beneath him in just a nude bra and tiny pink panties. He groaned at how innocent they made her look, not exactly virginal, but still inexperienced enough that she'd blush if he did what he really craved to do to her right now.

But he kept that impulse in check. For now, he just wanted to have her. Take what was rightfully his. And Buffy responded in kind, tearing his own black button-up and leather pants. He grabbed her hands, stopping her when she went to remove his belt.

"Get on your stomach," he hissed, nudging her thigh with his knee. Buffy immediately complied and turned over. Angelus slid off the desk and grabbed her hips, forcing her towards the end of the desk as he lifted her ass high in the air. "Spread your legs as wide as the desk," he commanded, and was pleased when Buffy didn't hesitate.

"What are you going to do to me, Angelus?

He closed his eyes and licked his lips at the taste of fear in her words. Oh, Buff… The things I could really do to you. "Nothing you can't handle, Slayer. Just do as I say and I'll reward you like a good little girl."

Buffy's eyes fluttered as he trailed his fingers down her spine. She instinctively arched on all fours like a cat getting scratched, shifting on her elbows so she could tilt her ass towards his hand. Angelus relished in her response to him.

"So sensitive," he murmured, kissing the dip in her back. "Let me see how sensitive you really are, Buff. Take your panties off for me."  
"I-" Buffy gasped, unsure of what to do. On one hand, she wanted to do what he said so she could reason later on that she wasn't in control. But now, if she actually listened to him and undressed herself, there would be no way of denying that she was a willing participant in this. Well, she was but then again, it'd be so much better if he'd do it for her and-

She yelped in surprise as Angelus laid a hard spank on her ass. She tried to scoot away, but he grabbed hold of her hips, holding her in place. Before she could so much as squirm, he rained another stinging slap down on her opposite cheek.

"You'll get two more if you keep hesitating. Tell me no, and it'll be even worse for you."

Tears welled in Buffy's eyes at the thought of being spanked again. It hadn't happened to her since she was a child, and she hated it now even more as she did then. Now it was so much worse. She was almost an adult and yet here she was, getting disciplined like an unruly juvenile by someone only six years older than her in mortal years. But in the grander sense, Buffy was even less of a child to someone as old and worldly as Angelus. He wasn't just a man, he was a vampire - probably the most sadistic of them all - and in over the two centuries he lived before her, he's had plenty of time to hone his wicked craft and get acclimated to the darker desires of his vampiric ways. She had no doubts in her mind that Angelus had done this girls like her countless of times before, and she knew from reading about them what would happen to her if she didn't obey Angelus.

More than anything, Buffy wanted to survive. Hope that Angel would one day return to her urged her to live on, to keep fighting to see another sunrise. In the feverish derangement suddenly taking hold of her mind, Buffy quickly reasoned that in order to ever see him again, Buffy had to give herself over to the one that kept them apart. Maybe if she did what he said, he'd let her go without killing her or her friends, and she could live another day to figuring out how to stop him without bringing an end to the man she loved as well.

She just had to do this. Buffy closed her eyes and took a deep breath. Her fingers trembled as she lowered them to her panties. On the count of three, she promised, gripping them in her fists. One, two, thr-

Before she could finish, Angelus grabbed them by the crotch and tore them right off her. Buffy gasped at the blast of cold air and the rush of wetness gushing down her thighs. The way he ripped them off her… Angelus couldn't believe how wet she was. He'd barely touched her - barely did anything and here she was, already dripping her honey all over some teacher's desk. Growling in satisfaction, he dipped his finger into her warmth. Buffy jerked her hips away at first, but immediately settled back into his finger as he drove it all the way inside her.

"Fuck, Buff," Angelus groaned at her tightness. "You're like a virgin down there."

"You would know," she cocked back, arching a brow over her shoulder. A shiver raced through her at Angelus's wide smirk.

"Goddamn right I'd know. It was this," he said as he fisted himself from his pants, displaying his hardening cock before her, "that ripped that pretty little pussy in half. Think it's ready to go through all that again?"  
Buffy shook her head, biting her lip at the way his dirty words caused an onslaught of delicious sensations to course through her. Angel never spoke anyway like that to her before, but Buffy wasn't turned off in the least bit. "I don't know, Angelus, just please -"

"Put your hands before your back," he cut her off. Hearing her say his name and please was enough to break the rest of his control. Without waiting for her to comply, he cuffed her wrists together himself and tied them together with his belt. Buffy shifted uneasily at his movements, but otherwise didn't object. Not that he'd stop if she did anyway. He was beyond reason, beyond common sense. What he needed was Buffy, bound and helpless at his hand. Here at his disposal to do whatever he wished and she couldn't do a damn thing about it.

If she were smart, she would. But Buffy was in no condition to use her brains. She was crazed with sensation, an incredible high unlike any adrenaline rush even her Slayer-strength could provide her. She liked what Angelus was doing and wanted him to keep going, afraid what would happen if the moment stopped too soon.

Angelus dropped to his knees, putting himself face-level with Buffy's dripping cunt. He grabbed her hips and slowly ran his nose down her slit, inhaling her sweet juices. More liquid gushed out at the contact, and Angelus couldn't fucking take it anymore. With a growl, he stuck his tongue in Buffy's pussy and lapped at her soaked walls.

Buffy bucked and moaned at his tongue. Her hands itched to free herself from their restraints, to take control of Angelus's mouth, but Buffy kept herself in the vulnerable position. She only swirled her hips along with the strokes Angelus's tongue made on her inner walls, clenching her fists and keening in delight as he wrapped his lips around her throbbing clit.

"Angelus…"

He buried his face deeper in her pussy, using two fingers to stretch her lips so he could continue his assault on her clit. She was so wet that his fingers wound up slipping inside her, causing her to moan as they stretched her hole wider than its previous healing allowed. Angelus tore through it without holding back, pumping his fingers into her as he licked and sucked her twitching nub.

"Ohh," Buffy moaned as her juices rose to a tumultuous swell inside her. Something's happening, she realized, but the knowledge didn't make her shy away from thrusting her hips in time with Angelus's mouth and fingers. Whatever had started, she wanted to finish. She was so close. If Angelus would just clamp down on her clit as he shoved his fingers deep inside -

In a flash, Angelus tore himself away from her pussy. He knew she was close, could taste it in her lips, feel it in the desperate motions of her hips. The tormented wail she released only solidified his suspicions. Angelus allowed himself a moment to savor it as he got to his feet and slid his pants down his hips.

Buffy jumped when his cock hit her entrance. Half of her wanted to pull away, to stop this while she still could, but the other half of her was begging her for Angelus's release. He could bring it all to an end, it reasoned with her. Just give in. Let him have it. Let yourself have it, Buffy.

Just once. This one time, and then it never has to happen again.

Her little pep talk ended as once again took control. With a mighty thrust, he speared his cock inside her. She cried out, tears leaking from her eyes as his wideness stretched her beyond capacity. Angelus grabbed her hair, yanking her head back as he drove his cock mercilessly into her. His other hand fisted her ass, fusing their bodies together. With her hand tied, Buffy had nowhere to go but along with the ride. Relishing in the loss of control, she tried to stop the flow of her tears as she greedily matched him thrust for thrust, but no matter how much she enjoyed what Angelus was doing, she couldn't stop the tears from escaping every time she moaned Angelus's name.

Angelus could taste the salt of her sadness in the air as he lost himself in his rhythm inside of her. Her weakness spurned his demon on, making his human facade give way to the vampiric features that made up his true face. Yellow eyes ablaze with lust, Angelus stretched over Buffy until his fangs grazed the gentle slope of her neck. Just one taste… One taste and I'll have Buffy Summers out of my system forever.

So caught up in their animalistic pairing, neither of them realized they had company until something crashed onto the floor.

"You sick fuck!" Xander Harris roared, launching himself at Angelus. Behind him were Giles and Willow, hot on his heels as they went to grab Buffy.

She screamed in a mix of shock and horror as they wrapped her in their arms. Oh God! She threw her head in her hands, releasing a fresh onslaught of tearse. What have I done? They'll never forgive me for this!

Xander threw himself on Angelus's back, attempting to put him in a headlock. Angelus just laughed and merely shrugged off the boy, sending him flying into the wall. From his peripheral, he saw The Watcher get to his feet as if to help the little shit out, and for a moment, Angelus dallied with the idea of killing him.

"NO!" Buffy cried, and for a moment, Angelus thought she was talking to him. But then he saw she was looking at Giles, pleading with her pseudo-father not to harm him - her enemy.

"Giles, please," she pleaded through glistening tears. "Please just - let him go. I don't want anything more to happen."

"He raped you, Buffy!" Giles thundered. A flit of surprise flickered across Buffy's face, and Angelus wondered whether it was because the old Brit yelled or because his words ignited a spark of realization inside of her.

Buffy wondered the same thing. Did Angelus rape her? But now wasn't the time to think about that. She had to get everyone - herself included - away from Angelus before the situation got even more out of hand.

"Giles, we'll deal with this later," she said in a firm voice. Getting to her feet, she hide her wobbling legs as she busied herself with finding her clothing. She'd feel better once she were dressed and Xander wasn't looking at her that way anymore.

Angelus saw it, too. And he didn't like it. Not one bit. She's mine, fuckhead.

"Here," he growled, throwing his shirt at Buffy, who caught it deftly in one hand. "Don't say I didn't give you anything, huh?" he smirked. Buffy blushed at his comment, but no one noticed. They were all too busy gazing at Angelus in shock.

"Yes, well, um -"

"Easy old man," Angelus chided the Brit with a raised hand. "I got a raging hard-on right now and unless you or any of you," he cast his gaze at Willow and Xander, "wanna help me out with that, I suggest you all take Little Miss Summers and get the fuck out of here. I was done with her anyway, so," he shrugged like he wasn't bothered, "you guys just saved me the drama of sending her home."

Buffy's lips thinned in disgust at his callous words. "Come on," she said to everyone else, tugging on Angelus's shirt. "Let's go. I want to go home."

I'll be there waiting for you, Buff.

If anyone else realized that were a possibility, they didn't say anything as they led Buffy away from him. Xander got to his feet, limping as he tried to catch up. When he reached the doorway, he glanced back over his shoulder with a cold glint in his eye.

"You ever touch her again and I'll stake you myself, leech," he hissed through clenched teeth. Xander wasn't convinced what happened here was as Giles said, but regardless, he wasn't going to put up with this shit anymore. Whether Buffy realized it or not, she belonged to him. He was the first one to ever lay eyes on her in Sunnydale. He laid claim on her before Angel even stepped into the picture. Buffy thought she was in love with Angel and that being with Angelus would be a way to stay connected to him, and Xander thought it was time to put all those thoughts to rest. Starting now, with warning Angelus to stay the fuck away from her. He didn't give a shit how powerful the vampire was - no one was going to get his way of getting Buffy all to himself. No one.

Angelus smiled, reading Xander's thoughts so clearly as if he were in his mind. "We'll see about that, lover boy. We'll see."

Before Xander could reply, Angelus pushed him aside and stalked in the opposite way Buffy and the rest had gone. Xander watched him go, seething. He vowed right then and there that if he ever caught or suspected that Buffy was with him again, he would kill Angelus and lock Buffy up in his room, teach her a lesson or two about why only he should be allowed to touch her.


	2. Chapter 2

**SLIPKNOT - "VERMILLION pt. 1"**

 _She seems dressed in all the rings_  
 _Of past fatalities_  
 _So fragile yet so devious_  
 _She continues to see_  
 _Climatic hands that press_  
 _Her temples and my chest_  
 _Enter the night that she came home (Forever)_

 _Oh (She's the only one that makes me sad)_

 _She is everything and more_  
 _The solemn hypnotic_  
 _My Dahlia bathed in possession_  
 _She is home to me_  
 _I get nervous, perverse_  
 _When I see her, it's worse_  
 _But the stress is astounding_  
 _It's now or never_  
 _She's coming home (Forever)_

 _Oh (She's the only one that makes me sad)_

 _Hard to say what caught my attention_  
 _Fixed and crazy_  
 _Aphid attraction_  
 _Carve my name in my face_  
 _To recognise_  
 _Such a pheromone cult_  
 _To terrorize_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_

 _Yeah!_

 _Oh, I'm a slave and_  
 _I am a master_  
 _No restraints and_  
 _Unchecked collectors_  
 _I exist through my need_  
 _To self-oblige_  
 _She is something in me_  
 _That I despise_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_  
 _I won't let this build up inside of me_

 _She isn't real!_  
 _I can't make her real!_

 _She isn't real!_  
 _I can't make her real!_

* * *

No one said a word as Giles drove Buffy home. She was secretly relieved when Xander volunteered to stay behind, wanting to make sure Angelus didn't try following her home. Giles thought that was a good idea and together, he and Willow helped Buffy into his car. Before they left though, Willow told Xander that he should call Oz for help in tracking Angelus's scent, but Xander declined. Buffy knew by the dark look in his eyes that he wanted to be the one to deal with Angelus if he stepped out of line.

Thankfully, Joyce was also still hung up at the gallery and judging by past experience, wouldn't be home for a few hours. Once they arrived, Willow led Buffy upstairs without a word, though Giles hoped she'd coax Buffy into speaking once she was clean and comfortable.

But Willow couldn't wait that long. Her best friend senses were tingling with suspicion that there was more to the story than what they saw tonight. She wasn't suspecting Buffy of going against her Slayer duties and willingly gave herself to Angelus - Willow knew Buffy wouldn't do that after what Angelus did to her and Miss Calendar. Buffy wasn't that selfish that she would throw herself in the monster's arms that brought harm to her friends - even if that monster wore the same face as the guy she was in love with. No, Willow suspected that Angelus forced her somehow. Manipulated Buffy into letting him have his way with her.

 _But how?_

"Buffy?" she tentatively asked as she drew her friend a hot bath.

Buffy tensed at the questioning lilt in Willow's voice; she knew what was coming next, and had no fucking clue how to handle it.

 _Do I lie? Or do I just…_

"Do you wanna talk about what happened tonight?"

Buffy shook her head, thankful that she was given a choice. "No, Will. I don't."

Willow bit her lip at Buffy's reply as the tub began to fill. She didn't want to push Buffy, but she had to know. "Something happened though, didn't it? Something bad?"  
In answer, Buffy turned away from her as she stripped and climbed into the tub. The water was soothing on her aching muscles, but it did nothing to relieve the one between her thighs. That's twice tonight she was denied an orgasm for Angelus. Buffy didn't want to show it, but she couldn't help but be irritated with everyone for interrupting - and for Willow for not giving her space so she could relieve her body from its torment. _I'm_ naked _for heaven's sake. Can't she see now is a bad time?_

The same realization dawned on Willow. Coming to her senses with a clear of her throat, she rushed out the bathroom door. "I'll just be outside if you need me," she said to Buffy before slamming the door shut. Willow blew out a hard breath as she leaned her back against it, heart beating a mile a minute.

That was weird, she mused as she thought back to the previous moment. Without realizing it, she had just checked out her best friend like she would've done if it were Oz in the tub. And that's not the first time she's thought differently about Buffy. The first time Willow stood next to her while they changed for gym, she felt the same heat rush through her like when she'd daydream about kissing Xander. And now that Buffy is no longer with Angel and she's all alone, Willow couldn't help but wonder if it was a sign from The Powers That Be to explore her feelings for Buffy. Her friend was vulnerable, scared, and she needed someone around to care for her. Someone that would rub her back whenever she got sad, someone to kiss her whenever she felt lonely…

Willow blanched at the image of her kissing Buffy. Warmth rushed to her lower lips and she began to tingle everywhere. Steeling herself, her fingers brushed against the doorknob. Willow toyed with the idea of going back in and giving Buffy the comfort she knew she must need, but just then Giles called her downstairs.

Buffy blew out a relieved breath when she heard Willow walk away. Something about the way Willow just hovered over her made her unsettled. If she didn't know any better…

 _Stop it, Buffy_ , she chided as she relaxed into the bath. _You're just being paranoid. It's been a weird night. Maybe the best thing right now is to come to terms about what happened._

 _Did Angelus rape me?_

Buffy knew what rape was; it's when someone forces another to have sex against their will. Angelus was definitely forceful with Buffy, but she couldn't say that what happened had been entirely against her will. In fact, that's what she wanted to say. It'd be so much easier if Angelus had raped her. If Buffy had said no and he still would've fucked her - which she knew he would based on what she read of his sadistic nature - then she wouldn't feel as though she betrayed everyone around her. Herself. Angel.

But she didn't say no; she didn't want to. She wanted what Angelus gave to her earlier. As they came back to themselves after the star cross'd spirits left, Buffy was pleased to find that Angelus was still kissing her. To her, that meant that somewhere deep down, Angel was still in there. He was what connected the ties between his counterpart and Buffy. She firmly believed that as long as a single piece of Angel's soul remained buried somewhere inside his monster, one day he'd be able to overpower Angelus and return to being the one in charge. Buffy knew deep in her heart that if Angel was still in there, he wouldn't stand for Angelus taking possession of her. Angel swore he'd do anything to protect her - even if that meant staying away from her. She knew he'd rather kill himself than ever see her with the likes of Angelus.

 _He'll come back,_ she affirmed as she closed her eyes, immersing herself lower in the water. _He will. I know it. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day soon, Angel will come back to me and I'll never have to see Angelus again._

The thought surprisingly brought much less comfort than it should. Buffy couldn't help but wonder why as her skin slowly began to prune.

* * *

Angelus watched as the little douchebag known as Xander Harris skulked the shadows for him. He was still nearby the school, cloaked in darkness and undetectable to the human eye, watching Xander with a chuckle on the tip of his tongue. The bastard sure had it in for him, not to mention the world's biggest hard-on for Buffy.

 _Second,_ Angelus growled, kneading his swollen balls. He cursed Xander, Willow, and her fucking Watcher for busting in before his nut did. He was so close, so fucking close he literally almost tasted her! Fuck, he scrubbed a hand over his face as he reminisced on what he'd actually got to taste. That had to be the tastiest pussy he'd ever eaten. Better than Drusilla's - especially now that hers has soured along with her sanity. Darla's had been pretty good - easily one of Angelus's all-time favorites if he were really be honest, but still not enough to compare to his Slayer's.

 _His_ Slayer's.

He smirked. That had a nice ring to it.

Angelus caught himself in time before laughing. Xander's head perked up at the slip. He moved to the dark copse of trees Angelus hid himself behind and peered deep into the shadows. Xander was sure he'd heard something there. Might've been just an animal, he reasoned as he drew back. Angelus sensed that Xander was probably a second away from approaching him when they both heard someone call his name.

Angelus bit back a sigh of relief at the smell of wet fur wafting toward them. The werewolf had come in just the nick of time, and judging by the scowl Xander was trying to hide, he wasn't as pleased by this as The Scourge was.

"Hey man," Oz puffed between breaths as he jogged over to Willow's friend. He'd just gotten a call from her, telling him he should head over to the high school because she thought Xander was in trouble. Luckily, he wasn't sleeping and also lived just around the block from the school otherwise, he wouldn't have shown up for Xander.

The truth was, Oz didn't like Xander. Not that he'd ever done anything to him personally, but the silent senior could sense there was something a bit off about the younger guy. Whether it was because of the way he toyed with Willow's emotions or how strangely possessive he was of Buffy, Oz couldn't put his finger on it. But either way, he'd much rather still be in bed getting high with his new bowl as Joey Ramone lamented about not wanting to go to the basement - er rather, not wanting to go to Sunnydale High.

"Is everything alright?" Oz asked when Xander still hadn't said anything. But really, he didn't need to. Oz knew something was wrong. He could sense it in the way his hackles rose and something cold slithered down his spine. If he didn't know any better… "Hey, there wouldn't happen to be a vampire around, would there?"

"Nice detective work, wolf boy," Xander replied, a slight edge to his voice that Oz didn't miss. "Yes, in fact there was a vampire here. Think you could put those senses to work and tell me where he ran off to?"  
"I could try," Oz said, ignoring the slight jab. Maybe the guy's just on edge, he reasoned as he closed his eyes and inhaled a deep whiff of the night air. His nose tingled at the area just beyond the row of hedges beside he and Xander. "I think there's something there."

Xander marched to the spot to investigate, but Oz held him back with an arm to the chest.

"Nah, man. It's cool. I got this. You get my back in case something jumps out at me."

"What are you talking about?" Xander growled, hands clenched in an effort not to smack Oz's arm away. Who the hell did he think he was ordering him around? "Last time I checked, there wasn't a full moon tonight. You're human right now, ergo why you're not running around on fours with a tail and trying to claw my leg off. In other words: you're human too, and one not as equipped to deal with Angelus as I am, may I add. So why don't you move aside and take my back?"

"Some powers still linger when I'm not wolfed out," Oz said evenly as he turned back to the foliage. Part of him was bothered by Xander's jab at his humanity while the other balked at the mention of Buffy's psycho-ex. "But you're right; I'd rather not deal with that guy right now. Besides, he's not here anymore."

To punctuate his point, Oz ripped the hedges apart with just single swipes of his arms. Xander gulped at the werewolf's show of strength. He hated to admit it, but he knew he couldn't have done that.

Still, he covered up his doubts with a blank expression as he stepped around Oz, peering into the darkness for a sign of his nemesis. But Oz was right; Angelus was gone.

"Fuck," Xander growled, shoving a hand through his hair.

Against his better judgment, Oz patted Xander on the back. "It's cool, man."

"No, it's not fucking cool!" Xander exploded, rounding on Oz as he shrugged off his grip. "Don't you fucking know what happened tonight, Oz?! Buffy was raped by Angelus!"

"Are you serious?" Oz gasped, digging in his pockets for his keys. Xander clenched his jaw and nodded, making Oz turn-tail for his van. "We gotta get over there then, dude. Are you coming?"  
"Nah," Xander said despite keeping his stride even with Oz's. "Willow and Giles are there. Buffy probably wants to be alone anyway. She gets like that whenever Angelus is involved."

"Okay," Oz said, not missing the dark tone in Xander's voice but choosing to dismiss it. There were bigger problems right now than Xander being jealous about Buffy. "Well, I'm going. Willow might need a ride or something."

Xander nodded, not really hearing him as he had his own thoughts swimming in his head. "You do that. I'll be at my home making weapons."

Oz hesitated for a second before jumping into his van. As he watched Xander head in the direction of his own house, Oz couldn't help but suspect that there was something deeper going on - with Buffy, with Xander, this whole Angelus thing… He tried to make sense of it, but whatever logic he began conjuring was soon lost amidst the raucous outcry of his predatory instructs.

 _Our female. Must protect. Go. Now._

Without a second thought, Oz climbed into his van and took off at high speed for the Summers' home.

* * *

Angelus's dick was burning by the time he made it back to the den. It was an old abbey that once stood as a palace of prayer but now lay abandoned for him and his children to use as their safe haven. Away from the sun, Sunnydale, and he one thing that mattered above all: The Slayer.

But in turn, it also meant he was further from her than he actually liked. The thought of returning to the mansion that Angel had taken up residence in pulled at him, but he dismissed it for now as the throbbing in his cock grew more intense. Fisting the engorged organ, he pumped it in earnest as he made his way over to the fountain in their outside courtyard. As he thrust his frustrations out into the once holy water, he imagined it were Buffy's mouth he were emptying himself in. Having her suck in every inch of him as she swallowed each drop of his undead cum. The rise of his chest grew shallower as he finally neared his release. In a jet of cold seed and a torrent of stars winking around his eyes, Angelus vowed that he'd return to Buffy before the night met his end. No matter how many people stood guard around her, he wasn't about to let anyone get in the way of him finishing what they started earlier.

As he fixed his pants and worked up a plan, his incessant childe, Spike, chose that as the proper time to wheel himself into view.

"Good God, man," he chided his sire at the smell of his spunk clouding the airwaves. "You look like you just spent the night in the brothel in Spain. Remember that, Angelus?" Spike chuckled at the memory as he wheeled closer to his sire. "Making all those men watched as you fucked the whores they paid for, then turned around and had them suck your - oi," Spike winced at the new scent hitting him. He wrinkled his nose at the underlying scents of lily and honeysuckle mixed in with vanilla. "What the hell is that smell? It smells like -"

Angelus grabbed Spike by the back of his head and slammed his mouth down on the two fingers he used to stretch Buffy. His cock twitched at Spike's guttural groan. His childe wrapped his lips around his two digits and lapped at the juices still coating them, and Angelus was once again filled with the urge to fuck something.

"Spike," he warned as the younger blonde vampire started unbuckling his belt. "What are you -?"  
"I know you were with her," Spike said as he took out Angelus's hardening length. "I want to taste. Slayer cum. Probably nothing in the world like it." Just as he was about to take Angelus into his mouth, a soft gasp had him dropping the cock and spinning around, guilt overriding the lust that clouded his senses. "Drusilla," he crooned. "Darling. What are you doing up out of bed?"  
"I came down to ask Daddy why he wasn't home to play with me tonight," Drusilla answered Spike, though her eyes were drawn to the tiny space between her lover's lips and her daddy's cock. "But now I see. He played with _The Slayer_ and now he wants to play with _you_."

"Dru," Angelus chuckled, amused by her jealousy over Buffy and Spike. He beckoned her over with a finger as he pushed his cock against Spike's lips. "You know that's not true. I always want to play with you, baby. You're my favorite."

"You lie," Drusilla whined, but she came over to him anyway, wrapping her arms around him as he pulled her into his side. She nuzzled his neck and watched as Spike licked the bead of moisture dangling from Angelus's cock. Her Daddy groaned in satisfaction, and it hurt Drusilla to hear him sound that way with Spike.

Only _she_ was allowed to please Daddy. Spike has had enough fun with him. Now it was Drusilla's turn.

But Spike battled her as she tore at what remained of Angelus's clothes. He won in taking possession of Angelus's cock, but Drusilla wasn't about to be deterred. She forced her tongue down Angelus's throat, grabbed his hands and made them tweak her pebbling nipples. Angelus dipped his head and took one of the stiffening peaks into his mouth, groaning around the erect bud as Spike took him deeper into his mouth. With his other hand, he reached into Spike's pants and slid a finger in his ass. Spike bucked, moaning, and Drusilla prickled in distaste.

"Fine," she grumbled, tearing herself away from them. She quickly fixed her dress and took off without another word or glance at them, but the sounds of Daddy's and Spike's lusty moans followed her as she ran up to her bedroom.

 _I will fix them,_ she promised as she threw herself down on her canopy bed. Grabbing Miss Edith, she held the doll against her chest as her eyes spilled crimson tears. With every drop she swore she could still hear Daddy moaning, and she vowed harder each time that she'd get revenge on Spike for taking her Daddy from her.

 _And The Slayer_ , she added, remembering that just a short time ago, Buffy Summers had made Daddy sound the same way. _Nobody gets my Daddy,_ Drusilla declared as she stroked Miss Edith's hair. _It's about time I showed them all just what happens when they help themselves to what belongs to me._

* * *

"Well?" Giles asked after Willow had hung up the phone. "Did you get Buffy to tell you anything about what happened?"

Willow shook her head sadly. "Not yet."

"I see," Giles replied stiffly as he took off his glasses. He let out a weary sigh as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The longer they waited to talk to Buffy, the less of a chance she'd be willing to divulge anything to them. He understood Willow's reluctance to push Buffy past her comfort, but Buffy was no ordinary girl. She was a girl, yes, but The Slayer first and foremost. Whatever happened needed to be dealt with accordingly, and then they'd use the aftermath for helping Buffy deal with the decality of her situation. Time was of the essence - especially with a vampire like Angelus still at large. Why would these children not understand that?

Giles expected Buffy to, but even he was disappointed with the graceless way she handled herself tonight. Until he heard from her what happened - the truth - then he refused to let Buffy off the hook. He'd done it enough times already, but enough was enough.

Willow sensed Giles's irritation and she didn't know what to do. On one hand, she didn't blame Giles for being mad at Buffy. The situation in the classroom made Buffy look bad - really bad. But on the other hand, she knew Buffy was taking it much harder than everyone else and needed time before she figured out what to tell everyone. Willow opened her mouth to suggest this to Giles when a knock on the back door interrupted her.

"Who on earth -?"

"It's okay," Willow said as he rushed to the door. "It's just Oz. I asked him to go over to the school to help Xander and he's probably here now to see if I need a ride home."

Giles bit back a curse and looked away. They didn't need a werewolf complicating everything, but truth be told, he was too damn polite to say as much.

The door barely opened when Willow threw her arms around Oz. "Oh gosh, Oz. I'm so glad to -"

"Where's Buffy?" Oz grunted as he pushed past Willow. In his animalistic haze, he completely missed the hurt shining in her eyes.

Buffy? Willow wondered, lips puckered in a pout. But what about me? I'm the one who called you. I'm your -

"She's upstairs," Giles said, pointing at the ceiling. "Still in the bathroom, recovering, I'm afraid. I don't know if Willow has told you already, Oz, but Buffy has been -"

"I know," Oz gritted out as he pushed past the librarian. "Xander told me. Why aren't any of you with her?"  
"We thought she could use some time alone," Willow said in a defensive tone, not liking Oz's sudden protectiveness over Buffy. Not at all. _That's my job,_ Willow inwardly growled. _I'm her best friend. You don't even know her._

Oz raised a brow at his girlfriend and the librarian in total disbelief that they'd let her be alone at a time like this. He opened his mouth to say as much but instead, shook his head and clamored up the stairs. Willow called after him, but he pretended not to hear her as he pushed on towards the bedroom door, where he could smell Buffy's intoxicating scent hitting him like a storm cloud.

And Buffy could sense him just as easily. A heavenly mix of spiced cologne, fresh dew, and weed smoke. She sat up on her bed as he knocked on the door, afraid what would happen if he tried coming in.

"Buffy?" Oz murmured tentatively as he tapped again. "Is the door locked?"  
She shook her head, but then remembered he couldn't see her. "Um, no. It's open."

Before either of them could realize what had happened, Oz had crossed the space between them and gathered her in his arms. At first, Buffy stiffened at the sensation of his foreign touch. He was much more muscular than she'd originally thought, and warm. _Like the sun,_ she mused as she settled into his embrace. It wasn't until then that Buffy realized how much she missed sunlight, its heat, the way it turned her skin gold if she stayed out for too long.

In one instant, Oz brought her back into the light, his searing heat burning a fiery hole straight through the ice that encased her broken heart. Just one touch and she was reliving not only the pain and anguish Angelus had brought upon her tonight, but of every tortuous moment taken place after losing her one true love. _What have I done?_ She began to cry, and Oz tightened his hold on her, sensing her torment and wanting to take it inside of himself so she didn't have to deal with it all on her own.

"Shh," he murmured between light strokes of her hair. "It's okay, Buffy. It's okay. I'm here for you."

"But I did something bad," she whispered in his neck, leaking tears into his shirt. "It was so bad, Oz. Horrible. They'll never forgive me if they knew."

"Shh," he said more firmly, placing a chaste kiss on the space beside her ear. "It doesn't matter right now, Buffy. For now, just cry and let me hold you."

Buffy relented and went limp in Oz's arms. She pressed herself against him, needing his healing touch and the sweet sense of security he provided her. _Willow is so lucky,_ she mused as Oz rubbed soothing circles down her back. _No guy would do this for his girlfriend's best friend. She should be happy knowing she truly got the last good one left. I would be, if I were her._

If it occurred to Buffy that Willow might think differently if she happened to set eyes on them right now, Buffy didn't show it. Oz also didn't harbor any of those concerns as he laid Buffy down on her bed and stretched out beside her, shifting her head so it lay in the dip between his pecs. At that moment, nothing else mattered to him except taking care of Buffy. Not Willow, not her psycho-ex or jealous Xander or the librarian's disapproval if any of them happened to see them right now. I only care about Buffy, making sure she's okay.

Willow watched from around the doorway at the scene unfolding in Buffy's bedroom. She seethed in silent fury at the way Oz held her in her arms. _This isn't happening,_ she proclaimed as she closed her eyes. She waited a few seconds before opening them again, thinking the hallucination would've ended, but no. Buffy was still in Oz's arms, and Willow still wasn't the one to hold her. Kiss her.

In a rage, Willow whirled around and silently clomped back down the carpeted steps. Without looking at Giles, she grabbed her magenta denim jacket and threw it over her flowery dress and matching tights. "Please take me home, Giles," she said around the knot forming in her throat. "I need to go right now."

"Oh?" Giles took in Willow's change of attitude with a worried glance before casting it up to the ceiling. "But what about -?"

"She's talking to Oz," Willow lied as she marched over to the back door. "Don't worry about them. Buffy looked like she'd prefer it be Oz she talked to right now. Let's just go and we'll talk to them in the morning."

"Well, if you're sure…" Giles wasn't convinced. He hadn't been a teenager in many years, true, but he could detect a shift in dynamic when he saw one. It appeared Buffy needed the comfort of a young man, and Oz was more than happy to provide it. Giles didn't approve of this change in development, but he wisely held his tongue as he led Willow to his car.

 _Something has to be done about Buffy,_ he concluded as he started up his engine. _She is no longer fit to handle her Slayer duties. I should get ahold of The Council and see if I can get a replacement…_


	3. Chapter 3

**A PERFECT CIRCLE—"SLEEPING BEAUTY"**  
 _Delusional  
I believe I can cure it all for you, dear  
Coax or trick or drive or  
drag the demons from you  
Make it right for you sleeping beauty  
Truly thought  
I can magically heal you_

 _You're far beyond a visible sign of your awakening  
Failing miserably to rescue_

 _Sleeping Beauty_

 _Drunk on ego  
Truly thought I could make it right  
If I kissed you one more time to  
Help you face the nightmare  
But you're far too poisoned for me  
Such a fool to think that I can wake you from your slumber  
That I could actually heal you.._

 _Sleeping Beauty  
Poisoned and hopeless  
You're far beyond a visible sign of your awakening  
Failing miserably to find a way to comfort you_

 _Far beyond a visible sign of your awakening  
And hiding from some poisoned memory_

 _Poisoned and hopeless  
Sleeping Beauty_

* * *

The scents of blood, sweat, and sex hung heavy in the air when Angelus opened his eyes the following morning. He opened his eyes to see Spike's ass facing him, the back of the blonde vampire lined with crimson stands. As Angelus sat up, something heavy thumped to the ground. One of the servant girls. She stared up at Angelus accusingly with her dead eyes, as if hinting to the vampire that he was the one who'd ripped out her throat and left her this way.

Angelus closed his eyes and tried to remember the events of last night. Overcome with the bloodlust for The Slayer swirling around them, Angelus took Spike back to his chambers to have his way with the younger vampire. Spike was always a great fuck, but it seemed Angelus was in the mood for much more than his most loyal childe could provide him. That is, if the drained bodies of the servant girls scattered around them were any indication. Judging by the state of them, Angelus would be a fool to assume anything less.

He'd need to hire more to clean up the mess, he thought as he got out of bed. Spike stirred on the sheets but didn't wake. Angelus blew out a sigh of relief and padded over to the adjoined bathroom to ready himself for the day. Last night with Spike was great, but he wasn't in the mood for a repeat. Today was all about focus, namely putting that focus on finishing up what he started with The Slayer. Because of Spike's insatiable appetite, Angelus got to miss out on that opportunity.

But not tonight.

No. Tonight he swore he'd finish up where he and Little Miss Summers left off. Whether he'd kill her as well would remain to be seen, but for right now, Angelus just wanted to focus on getting The Slayer in bed.

* * *

"Yes, thank you, very much. I'll notify you when I've received word. Ta." Giles looked around as he hung up the phone, trying to make sure whether Willow or Xander heard his conversation.

At the moment, they looked too busy going over homework. Or rather, Xander copying Willow's and her chiding him about them looking too identical.

"That's the point of copying, Will. Think of it like you posted some cool article on the 'net and me as some internet dude who just so happens to be copying the material I found on your site."

"That's called plagiarism, Xander."

"Not-uh. That doesn't work on the internet."

Definitely not paying any attention to little ol' me, Giles thought as he tuned out of their conversation. What a relief. Even though Willow seemed on the outs with Buffy last night, Giles wasn't foolish enough to assume that she wouldn't alert Buffy to his hand if he showed her what cards he was about to play. And Xander…

Any idiot with a working pair of eyes in the twenty-mile radius could see that Xander was in love with Buffy. And even those who couldn't see had no trouble recognizing that Buffy didn't reciprocate his passions. But there was no doubt in Giles's mind that Xander refused to accept such a fate, and that the boy would do anything to see that happen. Would he go so far as to tip off Buffy if he knew of the plans he had for her? Giles was sure he would, and therefore had to do everything he could to keep him and Willow from finding out until the time was right. Once he got word from The Council that things were officially set in motion, then he'd share his news with the others. Until then, he'd just have to be patient.

Willow, on the other hand, wasn't thinking patience was the right way to handle her own problems with Buffy. Usually reserved to the point of being looked at as a doormat, Willow burned with an uncharacteristic rage that consumed her from the inside out. She barely slept that night. Every time she closed her eyes, she pictured Oz climbing in bed with Buffy. As the hours ticked by, her brain conjured convoluted images of the two of them together. Oz kissing Buffy's cheek and stroking her back like he did when Willow was upset. Buffy holding onto Oz's shoulders while pressing her body closer like how she used to with Angel.

 _Was that what this was about?_ Willow wondered for the hundredth time. _Is Buffy trying to replace what she had with Angel with my boyfriend?_ Willow surged with rage at the thought. The air simmered around her. Suddenly, the air grew so hot she felt drops of sweat pouring down her back. Instead of reigning in her temper, Willow pushed it forth, wanting to see how much further it could go.

"Whoa!"

The sound of Xander's startled cry broke into her thoughts. The heat disappeared along with Willow's rage. Shaking her head, she looked at Xander to see him pointing at something behind her, looking pale so pale she had to turn around to make sure it wasn't James Stanley or Grace Newman back again to taunt them.

Maybe the ghosts would have been better.

"Giles!" she shouted for the librarian. "Fire extinguisher! Hurry, quick!"

"What?" Giles appeared behind the counter. Immediately, he saw the flames and became as horrified as Xander. "Good lord!" Picking up a chair, he launched it at the glass encasing the fire extinguisher, causing an alarm to go off. "Confound it," he grumbled as he grabbed the extinguisher and sprayed a shower of its foam on the fire. "Just where in hell is Buffy when you need her?"

* * *

It was one of those dreams Buffy used to have all the time as a child but stopped sometime around when she'd first received her calling. She could never see herself, always observing from the first-person as she skipped through a field of wild flowers, soaking up the sun's rays in her private little meadow. Happy, carefree. Unburdened by the duties of Slayer-hood. Her skin radiant and glowing in the bright sun, the shadows the moonlight cast under her eyes absent for a change.

Sighing outwardly, Buffy snuggled deeper in her sheets as the dream played on. Her dream-self approached a rose bush freshly abloom with lush petals colored a deep crimson. She stopped to admire it, reaching out to pluck a rose from the bush when a dark shadow stepped out behind it.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" He whispered in her ear as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and resting his chin on her shoulder. "But not nearly as beautiful as you, Buffy. My perfect little rose."

"Angel," she wistfully moaned as she nuzzled her cheek against his. "Is it really you?"

Gently, he turned her around, running his fingers through her undone hair as he'd done hundreds of times before. "I have something for you."

Buffy's lips parted in surprise at the puckered purple flower. It was small and cylindrical, the petals hugging the nectar like a bonnet and emitting a subtle sweet scent that instantly made her breathless. "It's pretty," she said as she plucked the flower from his fingers. "I don't think I've ever seen it before. What is it?"

"Not sure." He shrugged his broad shoulders. "Just something I thought you'd like."

"Thank you, Angel." She ducked her head, about to tuck the flower behind her ear when he took her hand.

"You're supposed to eat it."

Buffy's brow furrowed. "Seriously? I'm supposed to eat a plant?"

He nodded, solemn. Too serious for even him.

"Why?" she asked, something inside her making her hesitate. "What will it do if I eat it?"

"It'll bring you closer to me, Buffy. Don't you want that?" he touched her cheek, tilting her head back to see the longing swimming in the depths of his dark eyes. "Don't you miss me, Buffy? I miss you so much."

"Oh god, Angel," she choked, nearly dropping the flower as she clapped her hand over her mouth to stifle her sob. Tears leaked from her eyes and splattered the petals, staining them a wet maroon. This time, she did drop the flower as she flung her arms around him, burying her face in his corded neck. "You have no idea. Every second of every day feels like torture knowing I can't ever have you again. Knowing the second I open my eyes and you won't be there…"

Her words gave way to the sorrow building up in her throat. Gasping, she clung to his shoulders and released her pain into his shirt. Deep, gut-wrenching howls that made her weak in the knees and light-headed. He tried to shush her, to calm her down, but she couldn't hear him over her desperate cries.

"Buffy," he said louder, giving her a little shake. "Buffy, come on. You have to wake up."

"What?" she sniffled, looking up at him as if she'd never seen him before. "But you… I don't understand. I just got here. Why do you want me to go so soon?"

"Buffy, wake up," he said again, ignoring her words. "Come on. Open your eyes for me. Please open them."

Suddenly, she no longer heard his voice but someone else's. Straining her ears, she turned around as if expecting to see someone else there. Something red flashed in her vision, followed by an earthy green too bright to be the dew-drenched leaves on the trees. As she focused harder on the image, the meadow around her began to fade out of focus like a photograph left to wither in the afternoon sun. She felt his arms loosen around her. Turning to him, she gasped in horror that he was disappearing too.

"No!" she screamed as another pair of hands clamped around her shoulders. Buffy woke with a jolt, nearly pummeling Oz in the face when she turned over on her bed.

"Buffy," he sighed, lean shoulders slumping in relief. "Thank god. I thought you were having a nightmare. You were crying and—"

"I'm fine," she rasped, pushing him away so she could sit up. She scooted to the end of the bed, her back facing him as she swiped her wet eyes. "What are you doing here, Oz?" she said after a moment of silence had passed. "You shouldn't have stayed. You should be at school with Willow and the rest."

Oz moved to sit beside her, not touching, but close enough that she felt compelled to make eye contact with him. What she saw in his eyes confused her. Instead of the passive, unbothered look he usually expressed, Oz seemed a little angry that she'd suggest he shouldn't be there for her.

"Look, Buffy. I know I don't know what's going on, and I'm not asking you to explain, but let me explain something to you real quick. Last night I get a call from Willow that Xander needed me at school. I get there and you know what he tells me, Buffy?"

Her eyelids spasmed as another wave of tears lapped at the brims. Shame bubbled in her chest as the memory of last night's events washed over her. The ghosts, the spell lifting, kissing Angelus, knowing it was Angelus, not caring it was him and letting him touch her, kiss her, make her beg for more. What was worse was that Buffy did want more.

Still wanted more.

"He told me you were…" Oz broke off, unable to finish that sentence. "Did Angelus hurt you, Buffy? Did he…?"

"I don't want to talk about it," Buffy snapped. She hopped to her feet and the folds of her robe fell open. Quickly fixing them, she glanced over her shoulder to see if Oz saw, but he was dutifully staring at the lines in her wooden floor. Buffy noted his flushed cheeks with a strange sensation flowing between her thighs. _Does he want me too? Like the way Xander does?_

 _No._ Buffy shook her head. _Don't even go there. That's your best friend's boyfriend you idiot._

 _Willow_.

Guilt slammed through her as she ambled over to her bathroom, making her stumble as she reached to turn on the shower. Oz appeared in the doorway, shirtless and his red hair fluffy and sticking up at odd angles. Buffy couldn't help but sneak little glimpses of him as he watched her arrange her towels and shower supplies. He looked different after becoming a werewolf. Still on the skinnier side, but now with more muscle and definition. Like vampires, Buffy sensed a sort of power emanating from him, but a different sort of signature. To her, vampires felt a blast of cold air that straightened the little hairs on the back of her neck. With Oz, and maybe all werewolves, Buffy felt hotter and sweaty, shorter of breath and like she could use a cold shower instead of running out of one. And he'd only just turned into a werewolf weeks prior. _Just how powerful will he get?_ She wondered as she adjusted the temperature. Will he be stronger than Angel? Than me?

"What are you thinking about?" Oz asked, his husky voice making her jump.

"Nothing." She shook her head and stood up, pulling at her robe belt. "I'm gonna hop in so, you should probably get going. Make sure to lock the door before you leave."

"Buffy— come on. Don't you think you should talk about last night? At least tell me if it's true."

 _How can I?_ she thought as she untied the knot. I _don't even know if it's true. How can_ I _tell_ you?

"Buffy?"

"I'll be out in a minute. Just… wait for me in my room, okay?"

"Alright," Oz conceded with a heavy sigh. He backed out of the room and pulled the door shut. It was almost closed when a flash of skin caught Oz's eye.

His cock twitched to life as he realized what was happening. Oz bit his lip, hesitating. It was wrong on so many levels, but his curiosity couldn't help it. Peering through the crack, he set eyes on Buffy just as she stepped into the stall. His teeth dug deeper into his lip as a moan threatened to escape him. Clamping his lips shut, he enjoyed the precious few seconds he had studying Buffy's naked body. Tiny yet ripe with lush tits and a full, perky ass. Oz imagined that ass jiggling as he pumped her from behind, bending her over the shower ledge with her hair wrapped around his fist and his name pouring from her mouth.

Overcome with the fantasy, Oz reached into his pants and stroked his hardening cock. He closed his eyes, picturing himself behind Buffy in the shower. Rubbing soap on her nipples, his slippery fingers sliding easily into her tight hole…

"Fuck," he rasped, too loud for comfort.

The water shut off.

Oz barely had time to step back when the shower curtain ripped open, revealing Buffy's narrowed eyes and flushed face.

Aimed right at the door, as if she saw through it and spotted him just beyond the crack.

 _Shit,_ he thought, knowing that look. He'd seen it before many times right before Buffy was about to impale a vampire. Summoning all his speed, he took off for her front door without another word.

* * *

Something was wrong. Buffy should've been here by now. Frustrated, Xander paced the length of library, fists clenched at his sides as his Nikes left layers of tread marks on the floor. He so badly wanted to go over to Buffy's to check on her, but if he got caught ditching again, Principal Snyder would send a letter home to his mother. She'd been spending her days at home lately, so Xander couldn't risk it. Still. He couldn't just stand around like an idiot, doing nothing while Buffy was off doing God knew what.

She hadn't been thinking clearly for a long time now. It wasn't until a few weeks after Angel lost his soul that Xander was really starting to question her judgment. She'd been letting the bloodsucker off too easy if you asked him. And now with the possibility of finding a way to restore Angel's soul lingering in the universe, Xander knew there was no way Buffy would ever come to terms with destroying Angel. Who knew how many more lives she'd risk all for the hope of getting her ill-fated lover back?

As the morning wore on and first period turned into second without a trace of Buffy's presence, the worry grew so high in Xander that he couldn't contain it anymore.

"You know, I hate to say it," he said to Willow as they stopped by her locker before heading to third period. "But Buffy's really starting to piss me off with this whole MIA thing she's got going on today. I mean, the least she could do is call Giles to let him know if she's okay instead of make the poor guy go crazy worrying about her."

"Sure you're just talking about Giles there?" she asked with a side-long glance that strongly assumed otherwise.

Xander prickled at her knowing tone. "Look, aside from any feelings I might have for Buffy's ignorant absence, I think it's pretty shitty she can't at least let Giles know she's okay. I mean, isn't a rule she's supposed to follow? Check in with her Watcher at all times?"

"Like Buffy gives a crap about following rules," Willow said, slamming her locker shut with more force than necessary. She peeked out of her lashes to see if Xander noticed her slip, but he seemed too preoccupied with his own thoughts to witness her uncharacteristic behavior.

 _Good,_ Willow thought as they made their way to their next class. Unlike Xander who wanted to mouth off his true feelings every chance he could, Willow thought it would be better to keep hers to herself until she had it out with Buffy first. Like Xander though, she was beyond angry with Buffy and eager with the opportunity to let her know just how much.

As third period came and went, two people hatched their own plans of revenge.

Meanwhile, another awaited eagerly for a much-desired phone call from overseas.

And off on the other side of town, someone else's revenge plan was about to start unfolding.

* * *

 _Hush my baby, don't speak a word_

 _Or mama will steal your song, little bird_

 _Open your mouth, let my words sing_

 _Drink it all baby, you won't feel a thing_

Drusilla hummed the lyrics under her breath as she spooned belladonna into the mixture. She set the ladle aside, letting the pot cool while collecting the dolly from her dresser. This was a special dolly, made this morning by none other than Drusilla's hands. Tiny with blonde hair and a red sinful mouth that would no longer taunt her Master with its forbidden temptation. That was, as long as everything went according to plan, of course.

Gently as if cradling an actual child, Drusilla picked up the dolly and softly sang her dark lullaby to it while pouring the poison into its mouth. She'd been brewing the mixture all morning while envisioning how she'd bring an end to her bitch of a problem. The more hate summoned, the more detailed the scene played out in her mind and she was able to transfer it to her victim. The pre-phases were set in motion. Thwarted, but she expected that. These things tend to happen at first, but Drusilla knew with a little bit of patience, her revenge plan would work.

As she watched the liquid flow into the plastic puckered lips, she imagined they were Buffy's instead.

In order for the spell to be complete, the vampiress needed twenty-four hours to work on it if she wanted to reach maximum results. She'd almost gotten the little bitch this morning, but that stupid werewolf interfered. No matter. As long as she reached Buffy by sun-up tomorrow, she'd have that little bitch in her grasp for an entire day after. Any less and The Slayer would live. She'd be weak, possibly able for Drusilla to move in on her, but as long as she remained alive, so would Daddy's infatuation with her. The only way to put a stop to it was to put a stop to The Slayer. This was the best way Drusilla knew how.

And the best part was? The Slayer would never see it coming.

* * *

 **XxXxXxXxX**

 **hi there.**

i just wanted to take a second to say thank you to everyone who has rated, reviewed, favorited, followed this fic.

and also i want to say to everyone who messaged me to get a move on with another chapter, you guys are the

fucking best. you have no idea what it means to have people who want to read your work when you don't believe

you're a good writer. i was just doing this for fun, for shits and giggles, never expecting anyone to really like this

enough to follow it. for those of you who have, and those who will after this chapter is posted, i wanted to say

thank you and that because of you, i will finish this fic. not just for me, but because i hope you guys appreciate

what i always wished would've happened with buffy. obsession, plots, manipulations, and soon to be: lots of

supernatural sex. i warn you though, i want this shit to get real dark so if you're game, please stick around and if

you'd like, maybe drop me a line on what YOU'D like to see happen. more slash? forceful sex? humiliations and

bloody fights and revenge served ice-cold? feel free to drop suggestions in comments or private message and if

they work with the narrative, i'll do my best to make them happen. thank you all and bangelus 4ever 3


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